Managing IP has reported that Amgen filed an appeal with Germany’s Federal Court of Justice against a preliminary injunction order made by the Munich District Court on 4 August 2023. The preliminary injunction prevents Amgen from supplying Bekemv®, its biosimilar to Alexion’s Soliris® (eculizumab), in Germany unless certain conditions are met, including a requirement that Amgen customers, including hospitals, agree not to use Bekemv® off-label.
On 19 April 2023, the EMA approved Bekemv® for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) (after the CHMP provided its positive opinion on 23 February 2023). Alexion successfully applied to the Munich Regional Court for a preliminary injunction in May 2023, which was upheld by the 4 August 2023 District Court ruling.
The ODE rights expired in June 2019 for PNH. However Alexion argued that there was a real risk that the biosimilar would be used off-label to treat other conditions over which Alexion still has exclusive rights. The District Court noted that by sending letters of recommendation to medical practitioners, Amgen contributed to the risk of Bekemv®’s off-label use.
Alexion has also sued Samsung Bioepis in Germany over its eculizumab biosimilar Epysqli®, approved by the EMA on 30 May 2023, with a preliminary injunction hearing scheduled for 16 August 2023.